Facts on "legal" drugs

A "legal" drug is classified as anything one can legally purchase in a store. Some legal drugs have age restrictions such as alcohol and tobacco products, while some don't such as inhalants. Many times, children can find these "legal" drugs laying around the house. Education of the dangers of these types of substances is the first step in prevention of use and abuse of these substances.If these drugs are so dangerous, why are they "legal"?

Alcohol

Approximately 11 million American youth under the age of 21 drink alcohol. Nearly half of them drink to excess, consuming five or more drinks in a row, one or more times in a two week period.

Alcohol is the most frequently used drug by high school seniors, and its use is increasing. Boys usually try alcohol for the first time at just 11 years old, while the average age for American girls' first drink is 13. In short, our nation's youth are flirting with disaster. Consider the facts:

Underage drinking is a factor in nearly half of all teen automobile crashes, the leading cause of death among teenagers.

Alcohol use contributes to youth suicides, homicides and fatal injuries – the leading cause of death among youth after auto crashes.

Alcohol abuse is linked to as many as two-thirds of all sexual assaults and date rapes of teens and college students.

Alcohol is a major factor in unprotected sex among youth, increasing their risk of contracting HIV or other transmitted diseases.

Learn More About Alcohol Use & Abuse

Tobacco (Cigarettes & Chew)

Tobacco products such as cigarettes and "chew" can all be addictive. Everyone knows that smoking is bad for you; most people that do it want to quit. In fact, nearly 35 million people make a serious attempt to quit each year. Unfortunately, most who try to quit on their own relapse, often within a week. According to the CDC, tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of disease, disability, and death in the United States.

Still want to light-up or chew smokeless tobacco? Great!Here are a few good reasons to start young:

Increase your chances of lung cancer by more than 90%

Surgery is fun! Chewing Tobacco causes lip and tongue cancers in many teens' and young adult's mouths.

Save money on perfume! You will always smell great. (Ashtray is in this year!)

You will always have a great excuse to not go on a hike, since your lung capacity has decreased by 60-80%

More about the effects of tobacco use:

Inhalants

Inhalants are possibly the most dangerous drug available anywhere, legal or illegal. "Huffing" markers, paints, gas and various aerosol sprays has long been an epidemic in the US and worldwide. Many of these vapors, once inhaled, kill more brain cells than drinking an entire bottle of 100 proof vodka in a night. Inhalants have been known to kill users "on the spot" by causing brain aneurisms, heart attacks and blackouts.

A quick and easy high sounds fun, right?You may want to consider this before you start "huffing"

A "high" from "huffing" typically lasts 10-20 seconds and kills more brain cells than a drowning victim who is revived after being pronounced clinically dead.

Many of the chemicals in over-the-counter inhalants cause incureable diseases such as Lupus and Cancer.

Serious and sometimes irreversible damage to the heart, liver, kidneys, lungs; it only takes one time with the wrong chemical.

22% of inhalant abusers who died of Sudden Sniffing Death Syndrome had no history of previous inhalant abuse. They just happened to be first time users.

Learn more about the dangers of inhalants:

Bath Salts & Spice

A popular "fake drug" epidemic has surfaced in the form of mislabeled drugs that are readily available at many gas stations and truck stops across the country. These drugs are labeled as "not fit" for human consumption, however the underground drug world knows this is only a ploy to throw off the FDA and DEA.

These substances are legal, so they are OK to use, right?Think again…

Even drug legalization advocates will tell you that Bath Salts and Spice are bad news because corrupt people are selling you poison.

A recent zombie attack has been attributed to bath salts because he was so high he ate another man's face.

Nobody knows the proper way to use bath salts, because there is not one. Several people are hospitalized or die every day because of ingestion of "bath salts."

Smoking Spice is like throwing a dice and hoping to roll snake eyes. More than likely you are smoking a concoction of poisonous chemicals that will make you sick and can lead to very bad situations.

Did you not read the warning on the package? (Maybe there was a reason for the warning?)

More about Spice:

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LCUFY is proud to partner with The Flathead Valley Chemical Dependency Clinic. The FVCDC is a private non-profit community based agency charged with the responsibility of providing quality substance abuse, dependency treatment and prevention services to Flathead, Lincoln and Sanders Counties.